Kitchen and fire

A break from building updates

I've recently signed up for a few parenting-related things, so I though I ought to document their progress here. Number 1 is Growing Up New Zealand, where people expecting babies before March 2010 are asked to volunteer for a research project about what it's like for kids to grow up in NZ.
They will interview me and Tareka on Monday and Tuesday next week, then we have yearly interviews after that once BabyDumpling is born for most of his or her life. I am quite excited about being involved in such a mammoth research project and also wondering where life will take me and my children over the next 20 years :)

Number 2 is a Triple P research project about "dealing with disobedient behaviour in 3-5 year olds". I am having trouble dealing with Mapera's usual not-listening stuff and getting frustrated and screaming stuff, so I am always up for more help and advice. This research project is investigation the effectiveness of a discussion group for parents, let by a psychologist. We'll have to answer various questionnaires and attend discussion groups over the next 6 weeks I think. We get to keep any materials used in the groups and I am hoping for some new strategies that I can use on both my kids.

I've had the consent form sent through for Triple P, so once that is sent back to them, they decide whether I will be in the group that starts right now, or in 6 weeks time.

Watch this space for updates!

Final painting and brick hearth

GIB stopping and painting

First all the gaps in the gib are filled and sanded nice and smooth

Then the painters come and spray everything with an undercoat

The final colours are rolled on. This should all be complete today (Sunday), so we are hoping that the kitchen and bathrooms will all be fitted this week. Tareka and Alec are off down there next off-shift to lay the hearth, then we'll be fitting the fire and wetback once the hot water cylinder is in. We'll have to give the flooring people a couple of weeks notice, so as long as all the fixtures and fittings are in this week, flooring should be going down in about 3 weeks. After that, our drainlayer is all ready for his bit - septic tank, water tank and drains - as soon as the downpipes are on outside.
I think there is some painting to be done outside too, so that will wait for better weather.

Fingers crossed for being all done by the end of this month!

Kreativ Blogger Award

Wow, my GORGEOUS friend Sarah just nominated me for this award, I don't know what to say *blush* Thank you love :)

The rules of this award are as follows…
1. Thank the person who nominated you for this award.
2. Copy the logo and place it on your blog.
3. Link to the person who nominated you for this award.
4. Name 7 things about yourself that people might not know.
5. Nominate 7 Kreativ Bloggers.
6. Post links to the 7 blogs you nominate.
7. Leave a comment on each of the blogs letting them know they have been nominated.

So…

THANK YOU SARAH! Here's her blog - Manganese Blue

Seven things you may or may not know about me.

1. I am a Master Composter

2. I learned to SCUBA dive at 17, but never completed my training. I still have all the gear in the garage though :)

3. I studied Applied Ecology at university, but secretly want to be an arty-craft type with a studio of my own

4. I would love to have more kids after this one, but the thought of being pregnant again is putting me off :)

5. I am married to a wonderful man, but still consider myself pan-sexual

6. I am an Atheist-Humanist

7. I love eating lumps of cheese with apples

Here are the other blogs I drop in on now and again:

Postsecret

My Milk Toof

Little House

AmeriNZ

I am ashamed to say I don't have 7 to nominate!

Inside all done

We've had another bill from Latitude Homes, which means that the interior lining is officially complete. The boys were on site today and met the drainlayer, so we have the septic tank and water tanks to be installed now, not sure when.

The building inspector has been in to check the GIB work, and it's all looking good. The boys have also marked out where the hearth and multi-fuel burner will be going. We're going to have a hearth made from Huntly brick, straight sides, and a curved front, to echo the curve in our breakfast bar.

It's coming together now!

Poppa standing right about where the fire will go

The hearth marked out

My baby's milestone

Kaitereo has been wanting to sit on the toilet for a while now, and while I always encouraged it, she never did anything, just sat like her sister and sang songs.

Tonight she asked to "go toilet" as usual just before bed, so off we trotted, and she sat down and did a big fart, which made us both laugh. Then she said "poos" so I said "are you going to do poos on the toilet like a big girl?" and she tried to do poos, but she ended up doing wees instead! Much cheering and celebrating followed, along with a BIG sticker for her potty.

Champion baby, her first mimi (wee) out of nappies and it's on the toilet like a big girl :) I hope this means she'll be out of nappies during the day by the time BabyDumpling arrives, it's not too much to hope for is it ?